𝚃𝚘 𝚂𝚝𝚊𝚛𝚝 𝙰𝚗𝚎𝚠

𝚃𝚠𝚎𝚗𝚝𝚢-𝚗𝚒𝚗𝚎

Three days have passed since they had broken up

Hermione was examining the tomb and could feel him looking at her

She tried to ignore him but it was blood difficult with him trying catch her attention every. single. time

The hairs on the back of her neck raised as his eyes found her again, she fought off the shiver and walked away

She reached the table and slowly went over the hieroglyphs

There was one piece that she still hadn't figured out and her being stubborn, decided to suffer in silence than speak to Malfoy and break down crying

Again

She was lost in thought that she didn't feel him come up to her, he stood behind her and it was his warmth that snapped her out of her mind, she fought the urge to lean into his chest

"Force from the sky above, offer to the stone, l—"

He inhaled sharply

"Love will save"

Hermione probably had stopped breathing

He hovered behind her, she might have felt his fingers brush her hair and his head dropped slightly

"Malfoy—"

"Sh" he whispered softly "don't talk...please..."

Hermione bit her lower lip and felt her eyes flutter close

She wanted to give in

She so desperately wanted to give in

But she was still hurt with the way he reacted

Especially since she didn't have any idea as to why he suddenly snapped and went back to being cold

"Can I kiss you?" Draco whispered

"I—"

"Please" he pleaded softly "just once...then after that...you can go your own way"

Hermione didn't want to go her own way

She wanted him to keep fighting for her

To show her that she wasn't the only one that had fallen in love

But if he was telling her to go her own way...

Did that mean that he didn't love her?

She tilted her head and kissed him, willing the tears away as their lips danced with each other, Draco's fingers were in her hair holding her in place

This was the goodbye that neither wanted

All too soon, their kiss came to an end and they both pulled away, Hermione couldn't open her eyes or else she would start crying

Draco kissed her forehead and stayed there for another moment, when he finally pulled back, he pressed his forehead onto hers before he walked away without another glance

Hermione covered her mouth and quickly left the tomb, she reached the outside and let out the sob she was holding, she hugged her body and continued crying

She slid down the stone wall and covered her face with her hands, she cried until she went numb, hugging her knees to her chest and stared at the other wall

She didn't do anything for a moment, she just sat there

But she knew that eventually she had to go back, so she forced her lead-like legs under her and slowly got up, she shuffled back to the tomb and entered

Draco was no where to be seen, she wiped her cheeks and walked to the table, she continued reading the translations, all the while trying to keep the tears until she went back to her separate hotel room for the night

When she heard Draco come back, his walk sounded more put down

They worked in a tense silence, they would sneak occasional glances but they wouldn't dwell too closer to one another in worries of intruding personal spaces

"Um...I think...I think we've worked enough" Hermione murmured

Draco nodded but didn't look at her

Hermione desperately wanted him to look at her

To show her that she's just as miserable as her

To show her that she wasn't the only one in love

But he never looked at her

She packed up her things and slowly made her way to the portkey

Draco joined her a few moments later, his head was down

They both grabbed the portkey and got whisked away, they landed in the hotel and dropped off the scarf with the front desk

"Draco—"

"Don't..." he murmured "not now..."

He walked away

Hermione sniffed and walked towards the exit

"Hermione?"

Hermione stopped and saw Reda coming up to her

He stopped in front of her and she sniffed

"Are you okay?"

"Do I look okay?" She muttered

She knew they was harsh

But she didn't need a nitwit to try to console her

"Do you want to take a walk?"

Hermione scoffed

"No! No I don't want to take a walk! I don't want—"

She broke down and hugged herself

She knew that people were looking at them but she didn't care

"I just broke up with Draco, he...I love him and...and I don't want to walk, I want him, but I can't have him—"

She started crying again

Reda pulled her into his chest and she weeped

She tried to pull away but he didn't let her

"It's okay" he assured

Hermione managed to calm down and let herself being held by him for a moment longer, she eventually pulled back and wiped her raw cheeks

"Um...Reda...I really appreciate you being here and being my shoulder to cry on...but I don't want to lead you on..." she murmured "I'm not...I'm not looking for a relationship...I'm...I'm in love with Draco and I—"

"It's okay" Reda said

Hermione needed him to not be so understanding, she needed someone to scream at her, to tell her off

To get make her hurt

She growled and shoved him back

"It's not okay!" She yelled "it's not!"

"It's okay Hermione—"

She continued to hit his chest, trying to get a reaction that she needed

She felt like she was drowning

She exhausted herself and he reached for her, Hermione slapped his hand away and backed away from him

"Go" she whispered "leave me alone...just...go"

She turned and walked away

She made her way to her room, her mind lost in thoughts as she walked down the hallways

Once she slid her card into the slot, she entered her room and sat on the bed

Noir came and settled on her lap, he whined softly

Telling her that he missed Athena

Just like Hermione missed Draco

"I know..." she murmured softly